Tag: Belle

Symbian Nokia OS might be dead, but the company continues providing software updates to its existing user-base. Starting from today, the Finnish company has started rolling out a new firmware update for its Belle devices, some of which are nearly 2 years old, dubbed Belle Refresh.

The new firmware update brings with it new widgets including one for taking quick notes, improved performance and stability, an enhanced web browser with support for HTML5 based web apps, improved music player, better support for flash videos and some under-the-hood bug-fixes. There are some Imaging related exclusive apps bundled in the update for the Nokia N8 as well.

The update will only be available for the first generation Symbian^3 devices from the Finnish handset maker including the N8, C7, the E7 ‘Communicator’, C6-01, the Oro, E6 (software version >111) and finally, the Nokia 500. While updates for all the phones are already being rolled out in certain regions of the world, the update for the Nokia 500 will follow in the next few weeks.

Even though Nokia has already ditched “the burning” Symbian OS as a viable mobile platform for its handsets, the company has promised to roll-out Symbian updates until 2014. Nokia’s recently released camera-monster and probably the last Belle powered handset from the company, the Pure View 808 runs on the latest version of Symbian Nokia Belle FP1.While the Finnish company has not announced anything about the next version of Symbian, it looks like it’s silently working on Belle FP2 a.k.a Symbian Donna.

A video has surfaced on YouTube that shows a pre-release version of Nokia Belle FP2 in action on RDA (Remote Device Access). The video clearly shows all the new changes that Belle FP2 will bring with it including a new swipe-to-unlock system, new transition effects, new camera UI, new widgets, an enhanced keyboard with a predicition system, a much better gallery and web-browser and many other UI enhancements.

Below is the near 5-minute video in question -:

The video also shows a new music player and navigation bar, which should please quite a few Symbian users. Symbian Donna in all probability is going to be the last major update to the “burning platform” and should keep the software engineers are Nokia busy, until Windows Phone 8 powered handsets from the company hit the shelves later this year.

Nokia has started rolling out the official Nokia Belle FP1 update for the Nokia 700, 701 and the 603 beginning from today in Asia and other regions of the world. The upcoming camera powerhouse from Nokia, the Pure View 808, will also come with Belle FP1 pre-installed.

Nokia Belle FP1 (Feature Pack 1) brings with it subtle but welcome changes including an updated task Manager with a webOS style UI, 20 new widgets, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Headphone, an improved browser with HTML5 support, and an updated notification bar. The processor speed will also be bumped up to 1.3GHz on the Nokia 700 and 701, brining about a noticeable improvement in the performance of the handsets. All the inbuilt Nokia apps have also been updated to their latest version.

Sadly, the first generation of Symbian^3 devices including the Nokia N8, C6, C6-01, E7 and the C7 will not be getting the Belle FP1 update due to their slower processor. The Nokia Belle FP1 update will not be the last update for Symbian handsets. Instead, Belle FP1 will be followed by Nokia Carla which will again bring an enhanced web browser and many other improvements and features.

At MWC, Nokia announced the highly anticipated successor to the N8, the Nokia 808 Pure View. This camera-cum-phone sports a whopping 41MP camera, thanks to a new technology from the Finnish giant – Pure View.

Apart from the camera, most point which most readers must have missed in the 808 Pure View spec sheet is that it runs on Nokia Belle FP1. Yes, FP1 (Feature Pack 1), which means the 808 will launch with a new version of Symbian on-board. Nokia detailed the changes included in the Belle FP1 update, which mainly aims at simply polishing the OS instead of adding new features or bringing about something radically different.

First and foremost, the FP1 update will add Dolby Headphone and Dolby Digital Plus to transform the music playback capabilities of your Nokia handset. Other than this, the update will also include 20 new and improved widgets, along with a faster browser with HTML5 support. The notification bar and the multi-tasking bar have also been improved, while all the inbuilt apps like Nokia Maps have been update to the latest version.

While the Nokia 808 Pure View will ship with Belle FP1 out of the box, only three other Symbian^3 handsets from Nokia will get the Belle FP1 update including the 603, 700 and 701. The Belle FP1 update will also bump up the processor speed on the Nokia 700 and 701 to 1.3GHz from 1GHz. Nokia did not mention as to when it will be rolling out the Belle FP1 update to existing Symbian handsets, but I don’t think its going to come anytime before the 808 Pure View is available to the general public.

Nokia has started rolling out the much-awaited and hyped, Nokia Belle update for its Symbian Anna handsets. The update brings significant UI improvements to Symbian handsets, along with some new features.

Users can now have up to 6 home screens, resizable widgets, new notification bar, an improved camera app, and a much-improved browser. The update also installs some Microsoft apps on your Symbian handsets, like MS OneNote and Lync, which would be appreciated by workaholics. Nokia also states that Belle would bring a noticeable improvement in the performance of older Symbian handsets. The update also includes many other minor and major changes, which would be appreciated by long-term Symbian users.

The Belle update is being rolled out for all older-generation Symbian^3 handsets including the Nokia N8, E7, C7, C6-01, and the Oro. The Nokia 500 will get its Belle update sometime in the next few weeks.

The Nokia Belle update is already available in majority of markets including India, Russia, UAE, Poland, Germany, Italy and Indonesia. Readers can check out whether the Belle update is available for their handset in their region or not via this page from Nokia.

The Belle update is not being rolled out via OTA (Over-The-Air). Instead, users need to use the latest version of Nokia’s PC Suite to install the update on their handset.

Today, in a blog post Nokia announced that the Nokia Belle update for some of its existing Symbian running handsets will be available soon.

The Nokia Belle update, formerly Symbian Belle, will bring with it a a whole bunch of changes including a new, much more user friendly touch UI, new widgets, up to 6 home screens, faster and smoother performance and much more.

Nokia had announced a few Belle running handsets earlier this year, including the Nokia 701, 700 and the 603. Nokia has already started shipping ‘enhanced’ versions of the Nokia N8, C7, and the C6-01 with Nokia Belle pre-loaded. The first batch of such handsets are on their way from Nokia’s factory to hit the retail stores in China.

Current Nokia N8, C7, C6-01, E6 and E7 owners need to wait for a couple of months more, as Nokia intends on releasing the Belle update for these handsets in Feburary 2012. Well that’s Nokia way of saying thanks to all you early adopters out there!

In the last month or so, a Symbian Belle firmware had leaked online for the Nokia C7 and the E6. However, no Belle firmware leaked online for the Nokia N8, which is probably the most popular Symbian^3 phone out there.

Now, it looks like the guy who leaked the earlier Belle firmware felt bad for the N8 owners and has leaked a new Belle firmware for the handset. The leaked firmware (v111.030) is newer than the C7’s leaked Belle firmware. The new firmware contains quite a lot of new widgets and is also much more smoother and faster compared to the C7’s Belle FW.

The official Symbian Belle update for all the existing Symbian^3 handsets is expected to land sometime in Q1 of 2012. For the unknown, the Belle update will bring with it a noticeable improvement in the UI of Symbian phones, new animations, widgets, up to 6 home screens and much more.

Late last month, a Symbian Belle firmware for the Nokia C7 made its way on the Internet. Now, a couple of weeks later, a Belle FW for the Nokia E6 has leaked online. The Belle update for the Symbian^3 handsets is going to bring some much needed UI enhancements, a new camera app and much more.

Some E6 owners who tried the leaked Belle FW on their phone are reporting an increase in performance, and a much smoother scrolling performance compared to the Anna firmware. Other changes in the Belle FW include new widgets for weather and mail, a much faster and improved web browser, and a much prettier and usable UI. Interested Nokia E6 owners can find the download link and installation instructions over at DailyMobile forums. Since this is an early leak, I’d recommend business oriented users to stay away from this leak.

The official Symbian Belle firmware update for the existing bunch of Symbian^3 handsets like the Nokia N8, C7, C6-01, and the E6 will get the official firmware update sometime in early 2012.

After the launch of the iPhone back in 2007, Nokia which is one of the largest mobile handset manufacturers in the world, has been having a pretty rough time. Symbian OS, which has been powering the Finnish company’s handsets for quite a few years now, came under heavy criticism.

Earlier, the company tried to somehow adapt the non-touch Symbian OS with the S60v5 OS release. However, after heavy criticism the company went back to the drawing board and released Symbian^3. The new OS was much faster than its predecessor, but still lacked some basic functionalities and had an inconsistent UI. Nokia followed Symbian^3 with Symbian Anna, which brought some much needed changes including a faster browser, and more consistent UI.

Symbian Anna was succeeded by Belle, which brings a new notification bar, new keyboard, an improved camera UI and some minor UI tweaks. While Nokia has already released some Symbian Belle running handsets, the company has promised that it will update its older Symbian^3 handsets like the C7, N8 and the E7 to Belle as well.

The Belle update is scheduled to be released sometime before 2011 ends. While Nokia N8, C6-01 and E7 owners still need to wait patiently for the Belle update, curious C7 owners can enjoy the latest Symbian update on their handset by flashing a leaked Belle firmware for their handsets. C7 owners need to use the Phoenix tool to flash the leaked firmawre file on their handset.

Interested Nokia C7 owners can head over to this site for step by step instructions and download links.

Along with the Nokia 700 and the 701, Nokia also announced a third phone, the Nokia 600. The Nokia 600 is an all-in-one entertainment hub, and has the dubious honor of being the loudest smartphone to date.

The Nokia 600 packs a 3.2-inch display with nHD (360×640) resolution. Like the 700 and 701, the Nokia 600 is also powered by a 1GHz processor and packs 256MB RAM along with 2GB of internal memory. The other key features of the Nokia 600 include a pentaband radio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM Radio, N FC and a microSD card slot.

The back of the handset sports a 5MP camera with an LED flash. The 600 is also capable of recording videos in 720p HD resolution. Beside the super loud speaker, the 600 also comes with an FM transmitter. The FM radio also has an internal antenna, so users can listen to FM radio without plugging in any headset.

The Nokia 600 will be available in a variety of colors including black, white, pink and lime. Like the other Belle powered handsets announced by Nokia today, the 600 would also be available sometime in Q3 of this year. The handset will set you back by EUR180, excluding taxes and subsidies.